Liquid crystal display device

ABSTRACT

A liquid crystal display device including a display area, a non-display area surrounding the display area and including a first non-display area disposed on a first side, in a first direction, of the display area and a second non-display area disposed on a second side, in the first direction, of the display area, a first substrate including a first base and a plurality of spacers that are disposed on a first surface of the first base, a second substrate disposed on the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates. The spacers include first spacers, having a first thickness, disposed in the non-display area and second spacers, having a second thickness greater than the first thickness, disposed in the non-display area. A number of second spacers disposed in a first non-display area is different from a number of second spacers disposed in a second non-display area.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/978,177, filed on May 13, 2018, and claims priority from the benefitof Korean Patent Application No. 10-2017-0159979, filed on Nov. 28,2017, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposesas if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND Field

Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate generally to a liquidcrystal display (LCD) device.

Discussion of the Background

Display devices have increasingly become important in accordance with isdevelopments in multimedia technology. Accordingly, various types ofdisplay devices such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, anorganic light-emitting display device, etc. have been used.

The LCD device includes: an LCD panel having field-generating electrodessuch as pixel electrodes and a common electrode and a liquid crystallayer in which an electric field is generated by the field-generatingelectrodes; and a backlight unit providing light to the LCD panel. TheLCD device displays an image by applying voltages to thefield-generating electrodes to realign liquid crystal molecules in theliquid crystal layer and thus to control the amount of light passingthrough the liquid crystal layer for each pixel.

If the distance between the upper and lower substrates of the LCD devicefails to be uniformly maintained, the liquid crystal layer cannot beuniformly formed, and as a result, defects such as light leakage andstains may be generated. For example, if the edges of the upper or lowersubstrate are sagged by the weight of the upper or lower substrate,bright or dark spots may become visible on the edges of the LCD device.These defects may become more apparent as the LCD device becomes largerin size. Thus, the maintenance of the distance between the upper andlower substrates of the LCD device is one of the most important factorsdetermining the display quality of the LCD device.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only forunderstanding of the background of the inventive concepts, and,therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute priorart.

SUMMARY

Display devices constructed according to exemplary embodiments of theinvention are capable of suppressing the occurrence of defects such asstains on the edges thereof so as to improve display quality.

Additional features of the inventive concepts will be set forth in thedescription which follows, and in part will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the inventive concepts.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, there is provideda liquid-crystal display device. The liquid crystal display (LCD) deviceincludes a display area, a non-display area surrounding the display areaand including a first non-display area disposed on a first side, in afirst direction, of the display area and a second non-display areadisposed on a second side, in the first direction, of the display area,a first substrate including a first base and a plurality of spacersdisposed on a first surface of the first base, a second substratedisposed on the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposedbetween the first and second substrates. The spacers include, firstspacers disposed in the non-display area and have a first thickness andsecond spacers disposed in the non-display area, have a second thicknessthat is greater than the first thickness, and comprise the same materialas the first spacers. A number of second spacers disposed in the firstnon-display area is different from a number of second spacers disposedin a second non-display area.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first substrate may further include acolor conversion pattern layer that may be disposed between the firstbase and the spacers, the color conversion pattern layer may includefirst color conversion patterns that may selectively transmit a firstcolor through the first color conversion patterns, second colorconversion patterns that may selectively transmit a second colordifferent from the first color through the second color conversionpatterns, and third color conversion patterns that may selectivelytransmit a third color having a shorter peak wavelength than the firstcolor and second color through the third color conversion patterns, andthe first color conversion patterns, the second color conversionpatterns, and the third color conversion patterns may form repeatingunits that may be arranged one after another in the first direction.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first color conversion patterns and thesecond color conversion patterns may be disposed in the non-displayarea, and the third color conversion patterns may be not disposed in thenon-display area.

In an exemplary embodiment, the third color conversion patterns may bedisposed at an end of the display area on the first side in the firstdirection, the first color conversion patterns may be disposed at an endof the display area on the second side in the first direction, a maximumthickness of the third color conversion patterns may be greater than amaximum thickness of the first color conversion patterns, and a numberof second spacers disposed in the first non-display area may be smallerthan a number of second spacers disposed in the second non-display area.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first color conversion patterns and thesecond color conversion patterns may be disposed in both the firstnon-display area and the second non-display area, among the first colorconversion patterns and the second color conversion patterns disposed inthe first non-display area, the first color conversion patterns may bepositioned at an end of the first non-display area on the second side inthe first direction, and among the first color conversion patterns andthe second color conversion patterns disposed in the second non-displayarea, the second color conversion patterns may be positioned at an endof the second non-display area on the first side in the first direction.

In an exemplary embodiment, wherein among the first color conversionpatterns and the second color conversion patterns disposed in the firstnon-display area, the first color conversion patterns may be positionedat end of the first non-display area on the first side in the firstdirection, and among the first color conversion patterns and the secondcolor conversion patterns disposed in the second non-display area, thefirst color conversion patterns may be positioned at end of the secondnon-display area on the second side in the first direction.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first spacers and the second spacersboth may overlap with the first color conversion patterns, and adifference between the first thickness and the second thickness may be0.4 um or greater.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first spacers and the second spacersboth may overlap with the first color conversion patterns, and a maximumwidth of the first spacers may be greater than a maximum width of thesecond spacers.

In an exemplary embodiment, the spacers may further include thirdspacers that may be disposed in the display area, that may a thirdthickness that is greater than the second thickness, and may include thesame material as the second spacers.

In an exemplary embodiment, the spacers may further include fourthspacers that may be disposed in the display area, that may have a fourththickness that is smaller than the third thickness, and that may includethe same material as the third spacers, and a difference between thefirst and second thicknesses may be 0.4 um or greater.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first spacers, the second spacers, andthe fourth spacers all may overlap with the first color conversionpatterns, and the third spacers may overlap with the third colorconversion patterns.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first substrate may further include afirst overcoat layer that may be disposed between the color conversionpattern layer and the spacers, the overcoat layer may cover a bottomsurface and a side surface of the first color conversion patternsoverlapping with the first spacers, and the first color conversionpatterns overlapping with the second spacers and the fourth spacers maybe placed in contact with the second color conversion patterns.

In an exemplary embodiment, the spacers may further include fifthspacers that may be disposed in the non-display area, that may notoverlap with the color conversion pattern layer, and may comprise thesame material as the second spacers, the second spacers may form asecond height from the first surface of the first base, and the fifthspacers may form a fifth height that is smaller than the second heightfrom the first surface of the first base.

In an exemplary embodiment, the spacers may further include thirdspacers that may be disposed in the display area, and may comprise thesame material as the second spacers, the first spacers may form a firstheight from the first surface of the first base, the second spacers mayform a second height that is greater than the first height from thefirst surface of the first base, the third spacers may form a thirdheight that may be greater than the second height from the first surfaceof the first base, and the third spacers may be placed in contact withthe second substrate.

In an exemplary embodiment, a thickness of the second spacers may be 1.6μm or greater, and in a cross section of the LCD device, cut along thefirst direction, one second spacer may be in the first non-display areaand two second spacers may be in the second non-display area.

In an exemplary embodiment, the LCD device may further include: asealing member bonding the first substrate and the second substrate anddisposed in the non-display area, wherein the first substrate mayfurther include a color conversion pattern layer, which is disposedbetween the first base and the spacers, a first overcoat layer that maybe disposed between the color conversion pattern layer and the spacers,and a common electrode that may be disposed between the first overcoatlayer and the spacers, the second substrate may include a second base,switching elements that may be disposed on a first surface of the secondbase, a second overcoat layer that may be disposed on the switchingelements, and pixel electrodes that may be disposed on the secondovercoat layer, and the sealing member may be placed in contact with thefirst and second overcoat layers.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, there isprovided a liquid-crystal display device. The LCD device includes adisplay area, a non-display area surrounding the display area andincluding a first non-display area disposed on a first side, in a firstdirection, of the display area and a second non-display area disposed ona second side, in the first direction, of the display area, a firstsubstrate including a first base and a color conversion pattern layerdisposed on a first surface of the first base, a second substratedisposed on the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposedbetween the first and second substrates, wherein the color conversionpattern layer includes first color conversion patterns that selectivelytransmit a first color through the first color conversion patterns,second color conversion patterns that selectively transmit a secondcolor different from the first color through the second color conversionpatterns, and third color conversion patterns that selectively transmita third color having a shorter peak wavelength than the first color andthe second color through the third color conversion patterns. A sum ofnumbers of first color conversion patterns and second color conversionpatterns in a first non-display area is different from a sum of numbersof first color conversion patterns and second color conversion patternsin a second non-display area.

In an exemplary embodiment, the third color conversion patterns may bedisposed at an end of the display area on the first side in the firstdirection, the first color conversion patterns may be disposed at an endof the display area on the second side in the first direction, and thesum of the numbers of first color conversion patterns and second colorconversion patterns in the first non-display area may be less than thesum of the numbers of first color conversion patterns and second colorconversion patterns in the second non-display area.

According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention, there isprovided a liquid-crystal display device. The LCD device includes adisplay area including a plurality of pixels, a dummy area surroundingthe display area and including a plurality of dummy pixels, a firstsubstrate including a first base and a plurality of spacers disposed ona first surface of the first base, a second substrate disposed on thefirst substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the firstsubstrate and the second substrate. A number of spacers having athickness of 1.6 μm or greater, and disposed in part of the dummy areaon a first side, in a first direction, of the display area, is differentfrom a number of spacers having a thickness of 1.6 μm or greater, anddisposed in part of the dummy area on a second side, in the firstdirection, of the display area.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first substrate may further include afirst field-generating electrode that may be disposed between the firstbase and the spacers, the second substrate may include a secondfield-generating electrode that may be spaced apart from the firstfield-generating electrode with the liquid crystal layer interposed inbetween the second field-generating electrode and the firstfield-generating electrode, and a minimum distance between the firstfield-generating electrode and the second field-generating electrode inthe display area may be 2.9 μm or greater.

According to the aforementioned and other exemplary embodiments of thepresent disclosure, an LCD device capable of suppressing the occurrenceof defects such as stains on the edges thereof so as to improve displayquality can be provided.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and areintended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of theinvention, and together with the description serve to explain theinventive concepts.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display (LCD)device according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a display area and a non-display areaof the LCD device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a layout view illustrating an edge portion of the LCD deviceof FIG. 2 on a first side in a first direction.

FIG. 4 is a layout view illustrating arbitrary pixels of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI′ of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 shows cross-sectional views taken along lines R_(1a)-R_(1a)′,R_(1b)-R_(1b)′, R_(1c)-R_(1c)′, and R_(1d)-R_(1d)′ of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 shows cross-sectional views taken along lines G_(1a)-G_(1a),G_(1b)-G_(1b)′, and G_(1d)-G_(1d)′ of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 shows cross-sectional views taken along lines B_(1a)-B_(1a)′,B_(1b)-B_(1b)′, B_(1c)-B_(1c)′, and B_(1d)-B_(1d)′ of FIG. 4.

FIG. 10 is a layout view of an edge portion of the LCD device of FIG. 2on a second side in the first direction.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI′ of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII′ of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 shows cross-sectional views taken along lines R_(2a)-R_(2a)′,R_(2b)-R_(2b)′, R_(2c)-R_(2c)′ and R_(2d)-R_(2d)′ of FIG. 10.

FIG. 14 shows cross-sectional views taken along lines G_(2a)-G_(2a)′,G_(2b)-G_(2b)′, G_(1c)-G_(2c)′ and G_(2d)-G_(2d)′ of FIG. 10.

FIG. 15 shows cross-sectional views taken along lines B_(2a)-B_(2a)′,B_(2b)-B_(2b)′, B_(2c)-B_(2c)′, and B_(2d)-B_(2d)′ of FIG. 10.

FIG. 16 shows images of the edges of an LCD device according to anExample.

FIG. 17 shows images of the edges of an LCD device according to acomparative example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of various exemplary embodiments or implementations of theinvention. As used herein “embodiments” and “implementations” areinterchangeable words that are non-limiting examples of devices ormethods employing one or more of the inventive concepts disclosedherein. It is apparent, however, that various exemplary embodiments maybe practiced without these specific details or with one or moreequivalent arrangements. In other instances, well-known structures anddevices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarilyobscuring various exemplary embodiments. Further, various exemplaryembodiments may be different, but do not have to be exclusive. Forexample, specific shapes, configurations, and characteristics of anexemplary embodiment may be used or implemented in another exemplaryembodiment without departing from the inventive concepts.

Unless otherwise specified, the illustrated exemplary embodiments are tobe understood as providing exemplary features of varying detail of someways in which the inventive concepts may be implemented in practice.Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the features, components,modules, layers, films, panels, regions, and/or aspects, etc.(hereinafter individually or collectively referred to as “elements”), ofthe various embodiments may be otherwise combined, separated,interchanged, and/or rearranged without departing from the inventiveconcepts.

The use of cross-hatching and/or shading in the accompanying drawings isgenerally provided to clarify boundaries between adjacent elements. Assuch, neither the presence nor the absence of cross-hatching or shadingconveys or indicates any preference or requirement for particularmaterials, material properties, dimensions, proportions, commonalitiesbetween illustrated elements, and/or any other characteristic,attribute, property, etc., of the elements, unless specified. Further,in the accompanying drawings, the size and relative sizes of elementsmay be exaggerated for clarity and/or descriptive purposes. When anexemplary embodiment may be implemented differently, a specific processorder may be performed differently from the described order. Forexample, two consecutively described processes may be performedsubstantially at the same time or performed in an order opposite to thedescribed order. Also, like reference numerals denote like elements.

When an element, such as a layer, is referred to as being “on,”“connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may bedirectly on, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer orintervening elements or layers may be present. When, however, an elementor layer is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,”or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are nointervening elements or layers present. To this end, the term“connected” may refer to physical, electrical, and/or fluid connection,with or without intervening elements. For the purposes of thisdisclosure, “at least one of X, Y, and Z” and “at least one selectedfrom the group consisting of X, Y, and Z” may be construed as X only, Yonly, Z only, or any combination of two or more of X, Y, and Z, such as,for instance, XYZ, XYY, YZ, and ZZ. As used herein, the term “and/or”includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associatedlisted items.

Although the terms “first,” “second,” etc. may be used herein todescribe various types of elements, these elements should not be limitedby these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element fromanother element. Thus, a first element discussed below could be termed asecond element without departing from the teachings of the disclosure.

Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “under,” “lower,”“above,” “upper,” “over,” “higher,” “side” (e.g., as in “sidewall”), andthe like, may be used herein for descriptive purposes, and, thereby, todescribe one elements relationship to another element(s) as illustratedin the drawings. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompassdifferent orientations of an apparatus in use, operation, and/ormanufacture in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. Forexample, if the apparatus in the drawings is turned over, elementsdescribed as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would thenbe oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplaryterm “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below.Furthermore, the apparatus may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90degrees or at other orientations), and, as such, the spatially relativedescriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, thesingular forms, “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the pluralforms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Moreover,the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,”when used in this specification, specify the presence of statedfeatures, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/orgroups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one ormore other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components,and/or groups thereof. It is also noted that, as used herein, the terms“substantially,” “about,” and other s similar terms, are used as termsof approximation and not as terms of degree, and, as such, are utilizedto account for inherent deviations in measured, calculated, and/orprovided values that would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in theart.

Various exemplary embodiments are described herein with reference tosectional and/or exploded illustrations that are schematic illustrationsof idealized exemplary embodiments and/or intermediate structures. Assuch, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, forexample, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to beexpected. Thus, exemplary embodiments disclosed herein should notnecessarily be construed as limited to the particular illustrated shapesof regions, but are to include deviations in shapes that result from,for instance, manufacturing. In this manner, regions illustrated in thedrawings may be schematic in nature and the shapes of these regions maynot reflect actual shapes of regions of a device and, as such, are notnecessarily intended to be limiting.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure is a part. Terms,such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should beinterpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning inthe context of the relevant art and should not be interpreted in anidealized or overly formal sense, unless expressly so defined herein.

As used herein, a first direction X1, X2 refers to a direction in aplane, a second direction Y refers to a direction intersecting the firstdirection X1, X2 in the plane, and a third direction Z refers to adirection perpendicular to the plane.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display (LCD)device according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan viewillustrating a display area and a non-display area of the LCD device ofFIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an LCD device 1 includes an LCD panel DP anda backlight unit BLU.

In a plan view, the LCD device 1 and the LCD panel DP may have asubstantially rectangular shape having a pair of long sides and a pairof short sides. Although not specifically illustrated, the corners ofthe LCD panel DP may be partially oblique or may be chamfered into around shape. The long sides of the LCD panel DP may be substantiallyparallel to a first direction (X1 and X2), and the short sides of theLCD panel DP may be substantially parallel to a second direction Y.Unless otherwise defined, the term “plane,” as used herein, refers to aplane that the first direction (X1 and X2) and the second direction Ybelong to.

A display area DA and a non-display area NDA may be defined on theliquid crystal display panel DP. The display area DA is an areaincluding a plurality of pixels PX through which light is effectivelytransmitted and substantially contributing to the actual display of animage. The term “pixel,” as used herein, refers to a single areaobtained by dividing the display area DA for the display of an image orcolors, and one pixel may display a predetermined basic color. That is,one pixel may be a minimum unit area that can display a colorindependently of other pixels. Examples of the basic color include red,green, and blue, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

The pixels PX may include different groups of pixels PX displayingdifferent colors. In one exemplary embodiment, the pixels PX includefirst pixels, which display a first color, second pixels, which displaya second color having a shorter peak wavelength than the first color,and third pixels, which display a third color having a shorter peakwavelength than the second color. The first pixels, the second pixels,and the third pixels may form repeating units together, and therepeating units may be arranged one after another along the firstdirection (X1 and X2). The first pixels, the second pixels, and thethird pixels may be alternately arranged along the second direction Y.Accordingly, the pixels PX may be arranged substantially in a matrixform in a plan view.

In a plan view, the display area DA may be surrounded by the non-displayarea NDA. The non-display area NDA, unlike the display area DA, may notcontribute to the display of an image. In the non-display area NDA,elements for driving the LCD device 1, such as, for example, connectionpads, driving circuits, and a sealing member 40, may be provided.

The non-display area NDA may include a first non-display area NDA1,which is disposed on a first side X1, in the first direction (X1 andX2), of the display area DA, and a second non-display area NDA2, whichis disposed on a second side X2, in the first direction (X1 and X2), ofthe display area DA. That is, in an exemplary embodiment where thenon-display area NDA surrounds the display area DA, part of thenon-display area NDA disposed on the first side X1 is defined as thefirst non-display area NDA1, and part of the non-display area NDAdisposed on the second side X2 is defined as the second non-display areaNDA2.

In one exemplary embodiment, the non-display area NDA may include asealing area SA in which the sealing member 40 is disposed and a dummyarea DMA which is disposed on an inner side of the sealing area SA,i.e., on the display area DA's side. For example, the display area DAmay be surrounded by the dummy area DMA. Also, the dummy area DMA may besurrounded by the sealing area SA. The dummy area DMA may include aplurality of dummy pixels DX.

The backlight unit BLU may be disposed below the LCD panel DP and mayemit light having a particular wavelength toward the LCD panel DP. Inone exemplary embodiment, the backlight unit BLU may be an edge-typebacklight assembly including a light source (not illustrated), whichdirectly emits light, and a light guide plate (not illustrated), whichguides light provided by the light source and thus emits the lighttoward the LCD panel DP.

The light source may be a light-emitting diode (LED), an organic LED(OLED), or a laser diode (LD). In one exemplary embodiment, the lightsource may emit white light having red, green, and blue wavelengthbands. In another exemplary embodiment, the light source may emit bluelight having a single peak wavelength of about 430 nm to about 470 nm orultraviolet (UV) light having a UV wavelength band.

The material of the light guide plate is not particularly limited aslong as it has a high light transmittance. For example, the light guideplate may comprise a glass material, a quartz material, or a plasticmaterial such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylenemethacrylate (PMMA), or polycarbonate (PC). In another exemplaryembodiment, the backlight unit BLU may be a direct-type backlightassembly having no light guide plate and including a direct-type lightsource.

Although not specifically illustrated, one or more optical sheets (notillustrated) may be further disposed between the LCD panel DP and thebacklight unit BLU. The optical sheets may include at least one of aprism sheet, a diffusion sheet, a (reflective) polarizing sheet, alenticular lens sheet, and a micro-lens sheet. The optical sheets canimprove the display quality of the LCD device 1 by modulating theoptical properties (for example, condensation, diffusion, scattering, orpolarization properties) of light provided by the backlight unit BLU totravel toward the LCD panel DP.

The LCD panel DP will hereinafter be described with reference to FIG. 3,FIG. 4, and FIG. 5.

FIG. 3 is a layout view illustrating an edge portion of the LCD deviceof FIG. 2 on a first side in the first direction. In particular, FIG. 3illustrates a boundary area between the display area DA on the firstside X1 (i.e., on the right side of the LCD device 1) and the firstnon-display area NDA1. FIG. 4 is a layout view illustrating arbitrarypixels of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V′of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, the display area DA of the LCD device 1may include first pixels PX1, which display a first color, second pixelsPX2, which display a second color having a shorter peak wavelength thanthe first color, and third pixels PX3, which displays a third colorhaving a shorter peak wavelength than the second color. The first pixelsPX1, the second pixels PX2, and the third pixels PX3 may be sequentiallyarranged close to one another in the first direction (X1 and X2). Thethird pixels PX3 may be disposed at the end of the display area DA onthe first side X1 and may adjoin the dummy area DMA.

For example, the first color may be a red color having a peak wavelengthof about 610 nm to about 650 nm, the second color may be a green colorhaving a peak wavelength of about 530 nm to about 570 nm, and the thirdcolor may be a blue color having a peak wavelength of about 430 nm toabout 470 nm. However, the present disclosure is not limited to thisexample.

The first non-display area NDA1 and the second non-display area NDA2 mayinclude the dummy area DMA and the sealing area SA. The dummy area DMAdoes not contribute to the display of an image, but in the dummy areaDMA, pixel electrodes 520 and a color conversion pattern layer 300 maybe disposed.

The LCD panel DP may include an upper substrate 10, a lower substrate 20that faces the upper substrate 10, and a liquid crystal layer 30 that isinterposed between the upper and lower substrates 10 and 20. The LCDpanel DP may further include the sealing member 40 that bonds the upperand lower substrates 10 and 20. The liquid crystal layer 30 may be in astate of being sealed by the upper and lower substrates 10 and 20 andthe sealing member 40. For example, the liquid crystal layer 30 may bedisposed in the display area DA and the dummy area DMA.

The upper substrate 10 will hereinafter be described. The uppersubstrate 10 may include an upper base 110 and the color conversionpattern layer 300 and may further include a plurality of spacers 600.

The upper base 110 may be a transparent substrate or film. For example,the upper base 110 may comprise a glass material, a quartz material, ora light-transmitting plastic material. In some exemplary embodiments,the upper base 110 may have flexibility, and the LCD device 1 may be acurved LCD device.

Light-blocking patterns 200 may be disposed on the rear surface (i.e.,the bottom surface in FIG. 5) of the upper base 110. The light-blockingpatterns 200 may be disposed in the display area DA and the non-displayarea NDA. For example, in the display area DA, the light-blockingpatterns 200 may be located along the boundaries between the pixels PXand may prevent the occurrence of color mixing defects between thepixels PX. In the display area DA, the light-blocking patterns 200 maybe substantially in a lattice shape having openings corresponding to thepixels PX, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In thenon-display area NDA, the light-blocking patterns 200 may be disposedacross the dummy area DMA and the sealing area SA. The light-blockingpatterns 200 may cover the non-display area NDA s and may thus preventunnecessary light leakage from occurring due to the penetration of theLCD panel DP, through the non-display area NDA, by light provided by thebacklight unit BLU. The light-blocking patterns 200 may comprise anopaque metal material such as chromium (Cr) or a light-blocking colorantsuch as a black pigment or dye.

The color conversion pattern layer 300 may be disposed on thelight-blocking patterns 200. The color conversion pattern layer 300 maybe disposed across the display area DA and the non-display area NDA. Thecolor conversion pattern layer 300 may convert light incident thereuponto have a different color from its original color. That is, lighttransmitted through the color conversion pattern layer 300 may beconverted into light of a predetermined wavelength band.

In one exemplary embodiment, the color conversion pattern layer 300 maybe a wavelength-selective optical filter blocking the transmission oflight of a predetermined wavelength band and selectively transmittinglight of other wavelength bands through the color conversion patternlayer 300. For example, the color conversion pattern layer 300 may be acolor filter layer absorbing light of a predetermined wavelength bandand selectively transmitting light of other wavelength bands through thecolor conversion pattern layer 300, but the present disclosure is notlimited thereto. That is, in another example, the color conversionpattern layer 300 may include a wavelength shifter such as quantum dotsor phosphors and may thus have a color conversion function.

The color conversion pattern layer 300 may include first colorconversion patterns 310 that convert the color of light into the firstcolor, second color conversion patterns 320 that convert the color oflight into the second color, and third color conversion patterns 330that convert the color of light into the third color. The first colorconversion patterns 310 may be s disposed in the first pixels PX1 in thedisplay area DA, the second color conversion patterns 320 may bedisposed in the second pixels PX2 in the display area DA, and the thirdcolor conversion patterns 330 may be disposed in the third pixels PX3 inthe display area DA.

Each of the first color conversion patterns 310, the second colorconversion patterns 320, and the third color conversion patterns 330 maycomprise a base resin and a colorant (such as a dye or pigment)dispersed or dissolved in the base resin. The base resin may form theshapes of the first color conversion patterns 310, the second colorconversion patterns 320, and the third color conversion patterns 330.The material of the base resin is not particularly limited as long as ithas a high light transmittance and has an excellent dispersion ordissolution capability for the colorant. For example, the base resin maybe formed of an organic material such as an epoxy resin, an acrylicresin, a carcass resin, or an imide resin. The colorant may impart thecharacteristics of a wavelength-selective optical filter to each of thefirst, second, and third color conversion patterns 310, 320, and 330.For example, the first color conversion patterns 310 in the first pixelsPX1, which display a red color, may include a red colorant allowing thetransmission of only wavelength bands near the peak wavelength of a redcolor and absorbing other wavelength bands. Similarly, the second colorconversion patterns 320 in the second pixels PX2, which display a greencolor, may include a green colorant, and the third color conversionpatterns 330 in the third pixels PX3, which display a blue color, mayinclude a blue colorant.

In one exemplary embodiment, a maximum thickness T₃₃₀ of the third colorconversion patterns 330 may be greater than a maximum thickness T₃₁₀ ofthe first color conversion patterns 310 and the maximum thickness of thesecond color conversion patterns 320. As described above, lighttransmitted through the third color conversion patterns 330 may have ashorter peak wavelength than light transmitted through the first orsecond color conversion patterns 310 or 320. By forming the first colorconversion patterns 310, the second color conversion patterns 320, andthe third color conversion patterns 330 to have different thicknesses inconsideration of the wavelength of light transmitted through each of thefirst, second, and third color conversion patterns 310, 320, and 330,the characteristics (such as color purity and luminance) of the LCDdevice 1 can be improved. The maximum thickness T₃₁₀ of the first colorconversion patterns 310 and the maximum thickness of the second colorconversion patterns 320 may be the same or may be different.

The first color conversion patterns 310, the second color conversionpatterns 320, and the third color conversion patterns 330 may formrepeating units, and the repeating units may be arranged one afteranother along the first direction (X1 and X2). As the repeating unitsare arranged one after another along the first direction (X1 and X2),color conversion patterns disposed at one end of the display area DA maybe of a different type from color conversion patterns disposed at theother end of the display area DA. For example, the third colorconversion patterns 330 may be disposed at the end of the display areaDA on the first side X1 (i.e., the right side in FIG. 5) of the LCDdevice 1.

In some exemplary embodiments, the first color conversion patterns 310and the second color conversion patterns 320 may be disposed in thefirst non-display area NDA1, but the third color conversion patterns 330may not be disposed in the first non-display area NDA1. That is, thethird color conversion patterns 330 may be disposed only in the displayarea DA, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In thiscase, the first color conversion patterns 310 may be disposed at bothends of the first non-display area NDA1 on the first and second sides X1and X2 of the LCD device 1.

A first overcoat layer 410 may be disposed on the color conversionpattern layer 300. The first overcoat layer 410 may be disposed acrossthe display area DA and the non-display area NDA. The first overcoatlayer 410 may minimize level differences caused by the elements disposedon the upper base 110, such as, for example, the color conversionpattern layer 300. That is, the first overcoat layer 410 may be a levelcompensating layer or a planarizing layer. In some exemplaryembodiments, the first overcoat layer 410 may be placed in contact withthe first, second, and third color conversion patterns 310, 320, and 330and may be further placed in contact with the upper base 110 and thelight-blocking patterns 200. The material of the first overcoat layer410 is not particularly limited as long as it has excellentplanarization and light transmittance characteristics. For example, thefirst overcoat layer 410 may comprise an organic material such as anepoxy resin, an acrylic resin, an imide resin, a carcass resin, asiloxane resin, or a silsesquioxane resin.

A common electrode 510 may be disposed on the first overcoat layer 410.The common electrode 510 may be disposed across the pixels PX withoutdistinction of the pixels PX, and a common voltage may be applied to thecommon electrode 510. The common electrode 510 may be a field-generatingelectrode that forms an electric field in the liquid crystal layer 30together with the pixel electrodes 520 that will be described later. Theelectric field formed by the common electrode 510 and the pixelelectrodes 520 can rearrange liquid crystal molecules 31 located in eachof the pixels PX by controlling the behavior of the liquid crystalmolecules 31. The common electrode 510 may be formed of a transparentconductive material. Examples of the transparent conductive materialinclude indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide(ZnO), indium (III) oxide (In₂O₃), indium gallium oxide (IGO), andaluminum zinc oxide (AZO).

The LCD panel DP will hereinafter be described with reference to FIG. 6,FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI′ of FIG. 3 andshows spacers 600. FIG. 7 shows cross-sectional views taken along linesR_(1a)-R_(1a)′, R_(1b)-R_(1b)′, R_(1c)-R_(1c)′, and R_(1d)-R_(1d)′ ofFIG. 3. FIG. 8 shows cross-sectional views taken along linesG_(1a)-G_(1a)′, G_(1b)-G_(1b)′, G_(1c)-G_(1c)′, and G_(1d)-G_(1d)′ ofFIG. 3. FIG. 9 shows cross-sectional views taken along linesB_(1a)-B_(1a)′, B_(1b)-B_(1b)′, B_(1c)-B_(1c)′, and B_(1d)-B_(1d)′ ofFIG. 3.

In one exemplary embodiment, a plurality of spacers 600 may be disposedon the common electrode 510. The spacers 600 may be disposed in thenon-display area NDA and the display area DA. For example, the spacers600 may include first spacers 610 that are disposed in the dummy areaDMA of the first non-display area NDA1 and have a first thickness T1.The spacers 600 may also include second spacers 620 that are disposed inthe dummy area DMA and have a second thickness T2 that is greater thanthe first thickness T1. The first spacers 610 and the second spacers 620may comprise the same material and may be formed at the same time by asingle process. For example, the first spacers 610 and the secondspacers 620 may comprise an organic material such as an epoxy resin, anacrylic resin, an imide resin, or a carcass resin. The first spacers 610and the second spacers 620 may substantially overlap with switchingelements 700 in a third direction Z. In the first non-display area NDA1,the first spacers 610 may be spaced apart from one another in the firstdirection (X1 and X2) and the second direction Y and may be arrangedsubstantially in a matrix form. In the first non-display area NDA1, thesecond spacers 620 may be spaced apart from one another in the seconddirection Y.

In one exemplary embodiment, the first spacers 610 and the secondspacers 620 may be disposed on the color conversion patterns of the sametype. FIG. 6 illustrates an example in which the first spacers 610 andthe second spacers 620 overlap with the first color conversion patterns310 in the third direction Z, but in another example, the first spacers610 and the second spacers 620 may overlap with the second colorconversion patterns 320.

First color conversion patterns 310 overlapping with the first spacers610 may be placed in contact with the first overcoat layer 410. Putanother way the overcoat layer may directly cover the bottom surface andside surfaces of the first color conversion patterns 310 overlappingwith the first spacers. For example, the second color conversionpatterns 320 and the third color conversion patterns 330 may not bedisposed on both sides of each of the first color conversion patterns310 overlapping with the first spacers 610.

First color conversion patterns 310 overlapping with the second spacers620 may be placed in contact with the second color conversion patterns320. For example, the second color conversion patterns 320 may bedisposed on first sides of the first color conversion patterns 310overlapping with the second spacers 620, and the third color conversionpatterns 330 may not be disposed on second sides of the first colorconversion patterns 310 overlapping with the second spacers 620.

The second thickness T2 of the second spacers 620 may be greater thanthe first thickness T1 of the first spacers 610. For example, the secondthickness T2 may be at least about 0.3 or 0.4 μm greater than the firstthickness T1. In a non-limiting example, the second thickness T2 of thesecond spacers 620 may be about 1.6 um or greater, and the firstthickness T1 of the first spacers 610 may be less than about 1.6 μm.

Since the first spacers 610 have a different thickness from the secondspacers 620, the first spacers 610 may form a first height H1 from therear surface of the upper base 110, and the second spacers 620 may forma second height H2, which is greater than the first height H1, from therear surface of the upper base 110. The first spacers 610 and the secondspacers 620 may be spaced apart from the lower substrate 20. In someexemplary embodiments, a maximum width W1 of the first spacers 610 maybe greater than a maximum width W2 of the second spacers 620.

The second spacers 620, the first overcoat layer 410, the first colorconversion patterns 310, and the light-blocking patterns 200 may form asufficiently large height, i.e., the second height H2, over the upperbase 110 and may thus serve as effective column spacers. For example, ina case where the LCD panel DP is partially deformed by an external forceor the upper substrate 10 is partially sagged by its own weight, thesecond spacers 620 can limit the maximum degree of deformation of theLCD panel DP. That is, the second spacers 620 may serve as sub-columnspacers.

On the contrary, the first spacers 610, the first overcoat layer 410,the first color conversion patterns 310, and the light-blocking patterns200 may not form a sufficiently large height and thus may not be able toserve as effective column spacers, but the present disclosure is notlimited thereto.

In some exemplary embodiments, the spacers 600 may further include thirdspacers 630 that are disposed in the display area DA and have a thirdthickness T3 and fourth spacers 640 that are disposed in the displayarea DA and have a fourth thickness T4 that is smaller than the thirdthickness T3. The third spacers 630 and the fourth spacers 640 maycomprise the same material as the first spacers 610 and the secondspacers 620 and may be formed at the same time by a single process. Thethird spacers 630 and the fourth spacers 640 may substantially overlapwith switching elements 700 in the third direction Z.

In one exemplary embodiment, the third spacers 630 may be disposed oncolor s conversion patterns of a different type from the fourth spacers640. For example, the third spacers 630 may be disposed on the thirdcolor conversion patterns 330, which have a relatively large maximumthickness, and the fourth spacers 640 may be disposed on the first colorconversion patterns 310, which have a relatively small maximumthickness. That is, the third spacers 630 may overlap with the thirdcolor conversion patterns 330 in the third direction Z, and the fourthspacers 640 may overlap with the first color conversion patterns 310 inthe third direction Z. The fourth spacers 640 may be disposed on colorconversion patterns of the same type as the first spacers 610 and thesecond spacers 620. First color conversion patterns 310 overlapping withthe fourth spacers 640 may be placed in contact with the second colorconversion patterns 320 and the third color conversion patterns 330. Forexample, the second color conversion patterns 320 may be disposed onfirst sides of the first color conversion patterns 310 overlapping withthe fourth spacers 640, and the third color conversion patterns 330 maybe disposed on second sides of the first color conversion patterns 310overlapping with the fourth spacers 640.

The third thickness T3 of the third spacers 630 may be greater than thefourth thickness T4 of the fourth spacers 640. For example, the thirdthickness T3 of the third spacers 630 may be at least about 0.3 or 0.4μm greater than the fourth thickness T4 of the fourth spacers 640. Thefourth thickness T4 of the fourth spacers 640 may be substantially thesame as, or different from, the second thickness T2 of the secondspacers 620. In a non-limiting example, the fourth thickness T4 of thefourth spacers 640 may be about 1.6 μm or greater. In an exemplaryembodiment where the fourth thickness T4 of the fourth spacers 640 issubstantially the same as the second thickness T2 of the second spacers620, the third thickness T3 of the third spacers 630 may be greater thanthe second thickness T2 of the second spacers 620.

Since the third spacers 630 have a different thickness from the fourthspacers 640, the third spacers 630 may form a third height H3 from therear surface of the upper base 110, and the fourth spacers 640 may forma fourth height H4, which is less than the third height H3, from therear surface of the upper base 110. The third spacers 630 may be placedin contact with the lower substrate 20, and the fourth spacers 640 maybe spaced apart from the lower substrate 20. In some exemplaryembodiments, the fourth height H4 formed by the fourth spacers 640 maybe substantially the same as the second height H2 formed by the secondspacers 620. In this case, the third height H3 formed by the thirdspacers 630 may be greater than the second height H2 formed by thesecond spacers 620.

The third spacers 630, the first overcoat layer 410, and the third colorconversion patterns 330 may form a sufficiently large height, i.e., thethird height H3, over the upper base 110 and may thus serve as effectivecolumn spacers. For example, the third spacers 630 can maintain the gapbetween the upper and lower substrates 10 and 20. Specifically, thethird spacers 630 can maintain the gap between the common electrode 510of the upper substrate 10 and the pixel electrodes 520 of the lowersubstrate 20, i.e., a cell gap. That is, the third spacers 630 may serveas main column spacers. For example, a distance D between the commonelectrode 510 and the pixel electrodes 520 of green pixels (for example,the second pixels PX2) may be about 2.9 μm or greater, but the presentdisclosure is not limited thereto.

The fourth spacers 640, the first overcoat layer 410, and the firstcolor conversion patterns 310 may form a sufficiently large height,i.e., the fourth height H4, over the upper base 110 and may thus serveas effective column spacers. For example, the fourth spacers 640 mayserve as sub-column spacers.

In some exemplary embodiments, the spacers 600 may further include fifthspacers 650, which are disposed in the dummy area DMA of the firstnon-display area NDA1 and have a fifth thickness T5. The fifth spacers650 may comprise the same material as the first spacers 610 and thesecond spacers 620 and may be formed at the same time by a singleprocess. The fifth spacers 650 may substantially overlap with theswitching elements 700 in the third direction Z. In one exemplaryembodiment, the fifth spacers 650 may not overlap with the colorconversion pattern layer 300 in the third direction Z.

The fifth thickness T5 of the fifth spacers 650 may be smaller than thesecond thickness T2 of the second spacers 620. The fifth spacers 650,the first overcoat layer 410, and the light-blocking patterns 200 mayform a fifth height H5 from the rear surface of the upper base 110. Thefifth height H5 formed by the fifth spacers 650 may be smaller than thesecond height H2 formed by the second spacers 620. For example, thefifth height H5 may be at least about 0.3 or 0.4 μm smaller than thesecond height H2. In a non-limiting example, the fifth thickness T5 ofthe fifth spacers 650 may be about 1.6 μm or less. The fifth spacers 650may be spaced apart from the lower substrate 20. The fifth spacers 650,the first overcoat layer 410, and the light-blocking patterns 200 maynot form a sufficiently large height and thus may not be able to serveas effective column spacers, but the present disclosure is not limitedthereto.

The lower substrate 20 will hereinafter be described. The lowersubstrate 20 may face the upper substrate 10. The lower substrate 20 mayinclude a lower base 120, the switching elements 700, and the pixelelectrodes 520.

The lower base 120 may be a transparent insulating substrate or film. Insome exemplary embodiments, the lower base 120 may have flexibility. Thebacklight unit BLU may be disposed on the rear surface (i.e., the bottomsurface in FIG. 5) of the lower base 120.

The switching elements 700 may be disposed on the front surface (i.e.,the top surface in FIG. 5) of the lower base 120. The switching elements700 may be disposed in the pixels PX in the display area DA and mayallow or block the transmission of driving signals to the pixelelectrodes 520 that will be described later. In some exemplaryembodiments, the switching elements 700 may be further disposed in thedummy pixels DX in the dummy area DMA of the non-display area NDA.

For example, each of the switching elements 700 may be a thin-filmtransistor (TFT) including a gate 712, an active layer 730, which isdisposed on the gate 712, and a drain 752 and a source 753, which aredisposed on the active layer 730 and are spaced apart from each other.

The control terminals (for example, the gates 712) of the switchingelements 700 may be electrically connected to gate wiring 711 and mayreceive a gate driving signal. The gates 712 and the gate wiring 711 maybe disposed on the same layer. For example, the gates 712 and the gatewiring 711 may comprise the same material and may be formed at the sametime by a single process. FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which thegates 712 protrude from the gate wiring 711, but in another example,part of the gate wiring 711 may form the gates 712.

The input terminals (for example, the drains 752) of the switchingelements 700 may be electrically connected to data wiring 751 and mayreceive a data driving signal, and the output terminals (for example,the sources 753) of the switching elements 700 may be electricallyconnected to the pixel electrodes 520. The drains 752, the sources 753,and the data wiring 751 may be disposed on the same layer. For example,the drains 752, the sources 753, and the data wiring 751 may comprisethe same material and may be formed at the same time by a singleprocess. FIG. 4 illustrates an example in which the drains 752 protrudefrom the data wiring 751, but in another example, part of the datawiring 751 may form the drains 752.

The active layers 730 may comprise a silicon (Si)-based semiconductormaterial such as amorphous Si, polycrystalline Si, or monocrystalline Sior an oxide semiconductor. The active layers 730 may at least partiallyoverlap with the gates 712 in the third direction Z. As used herein, theexpression “an element overlapping with another element” denotes thatthe two elements overlap with each other in the third direction Z. Theactive layers 730 may serve as channels for the switching elements 700and may turn on or off channels in accordance with a voltage applied tothe gates 712. A gate insulating layer 770 is disposed between theactive layers 730 and the gates 712 and may insulate the active layers730 and the gates 712. The gate insulating layer 770 may be disposedacross the display area DA and the non-display area NDA.

A second overcoat layer 420 may be disposed on the switching elements700. The second overcoat layer 420 may be disposed across the displayarea DA and the non-display area NDA. The second overcoat layer 420 mayminimize level differences caused by the elements disposed on the lowerbase 120, such as, for example, the switching elements 700, the gatewiring 711, and/or the data wiring 751, and may insulate the elementsdisposed thereabove from the elements disposed therebelow. The materialof the second overcoat layer 420 is not particularly limited as long asit has excellent planarization and light transmittance characteristics.For example, the second overcoat layer 420 may comprise an organicmaterial such as an epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, an imide resin, acarcass resin, a siloxane resin, or a silsesquioxane resin.

The pixel electrodes 520 may be disposed on the second overcoat layer420. The pixel electrodes 520 may be field-generating electrodes thatform an electric field in the liquid crystal layer 30 together with thecommon electrode 510. The pixel electrodes 520 may be disposed in thepixels PX and the dummy pixels DX.

The pixel electrodes 520 disposed in the pixels PX may be controlledindependently of one another and may be provided with different drivingsignals. For example, the pixel electrodes 520 may be electricallyconnected to the output terminals (for example, the drains 752) of theswitching elements 700 via contact holes CT, which are formed in thesecond overcoat layer 420. The pixel electrodes 520, like the commonelectrode 510, may be formed of a transparent conductive material.Although not specifically illustrated, each of the pixel electrodes 520may have domain-dividing means. For example, each of the pixelelectrodes 520 may include a plurality of fine slits, which are formedsubstantially radially in a plan view. Accordingly, in response to anelectric field being formed between the pixel electrodes 520 and thecommon electrode 510, the direction in which the liquid crystalmolecules 31 are realigned can be made to diversify, even within asingle pixel PX, and the viewing angle properties of the LCD device 1can be improved.

The liquid crystal layer 30 may be disposed between the upper and lowersubstrates 10 and 20. The liquid crystal layer 30 may be disposed in thedisplay area DA and part of the non-display area NDA. The liquid crystallayer 30 may include a plurality of liquid crystal molecules 31 that areinitially aligned. As used herein, the term “liquid crystal molecule”refers to a molecule having a liquid crystal property. In one exemplaryembodiment, the liquid crystal molecules 31 have negative dielectricanisotropy and may have a long axis oriented substantiallyperpendicularly to a plane in their initial alignment state. Forexample, the angle that the long axis of the liquid crystal molecules 31and the plane form may be about 80 degrees or more, about 86 degrees ormore, about 87 degrees or more, or about 88 degrees or more, and theliquid crystal molecules 31 may have a predetermined pretilt.

The sealing member 40 may be disposed between the upper and lowersubstrates 10 and 20. The sealing member 40 may be disposed in thenon-display area NDA and may define the sealing area SA. The sealingmember 40 may bond the upper and lower substrates 10 and 20. Forexample, the sealing member 40 may be placed in contact with the firstovercoat layer 410 of the upper substrate 10 and the second overcoatlayer 420 of the lower substrate 20.

The color conversion pattern layer 300 and the spacers 600 in the edgearea of the LCD device 1 on the first side X1 have been described sofar. The LCD device 1 will hereinafter be described in further detailwith reference to FIGS. 10 through 15.

FIG. 10 is a layout view of an edge portion of the LCD device of FIG. 2on the second side in the first direction, particularly, a boundary areabetween the display area DA on the second side X2 (i.e., on the leftside of the LCD device 1) and the second non-display area NDA2. FIG. 11is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI′ of FIG. 10. FIG. 12 isa cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII′ of FIG. 10 and showsspacers 600. FIG. 13 shows cross-sectional views taken along linesR_(2a)-R_(2a)′, R_(2b)-R_(2b)′, R_(2c)-R_(2c)′, and R_(2d)-R_(2d)′ ofFIG. 10. FIG. 14 shows cross-sectional views taken along linesG_(2a)-G_(2a)′, G_(2b)-G_(2b)′, G_(2c)-G_(2c)′, and G_(2d)-G_(2d)′ ofFIG. 10. FIG. 15 shows cross-sectional views taken along linesB_(2a)-B_(2a)′, B_(2b)-B_(2b)′, B_(2c)-B_(2c)′, and B_(2d)-B_(2d)′ ofFIG. 10.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 15, the display area DA of the LCD device 1may include fourth pixels PX4, which display a first color, fifth pixelsPXS, which display a second color having a shorter peak wavelength thanthe first color, and sixth pixels PX6, which displays a third colorhaving a shorter peak wavelength than the second color. The fourthpixels PX4, the fifth pixels PX5, and the sixth pixels PX6 may besequentially arranged close to one another in the first direction (X1and X2). The fourth pixels PX4 may be disposed at the end of the displayarea DA on the second side X2 and may adjoin the dummy area DMA. Firstcolor conversion s patterns 310 may be disposed in the fourth pixels PX4in the display area DA, second color conversion patterns 320 may bedisposed in the fifth pixels PX5 in the display area DA, and third colorconversion patterns 330 may be disposed in the sixth pixels PX6 in thedisplay area DA.

For example, the first color conversion patterns 310 may be disposed atthe end of the display area DA on the second side X2 (i.e., the leftside in FIG. 11) of the LCD device 1. In some exemplary embodiments,color conversion patterns disposed at the end of the display area DA onthe first side X1 may be of a different type from color conversionpatterns disposed at the end of the display area DA on the second sideX2. For example, the maximum thickness of the color conversion patterns(for example, the third color conversion patterns 330) disposed at theend of the display area DA on the first side X1 may be greater than themaximum thickness of the color conversion patterns (for example, thefirst color conversion patterns 310) disposed at the end of the displayarea DA on the second side X2.

In some exemplary embodiments, the first color conversion patterns 310and the second color conversion patterns 320 may be disposed in thesecond non-display area NDA2, but the third color conversion patterns330 may not be disposed in the second non-display area NDA2. That is,the third color conversion patterns 330 may be disposed only in thedisplay area DA, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Inthis case, the second color conversion patterns 320 may be disposed atthe end of the second non-display area NDA2 on the first side X1, andthe first color conversion patterns 310 may be disposed at the end ofthe second non-display area NDA2 on the second side X2. That is, thecolor conversion patterns disposed at the end of the second non-displayarea NDA2 on the first side X1 may be of a different type from the colorconversion patterns disposed at the end of the second non-display areaNDA2 on the second side X2.

In one exemplary embodiment, the spacers 600 may include first spacers610, which are disposed in the dummy area DMA of the second non-displayarea NDA2 and have a first thickness T1, and second spacers 620, whichare disposed in the dummy area DMA and have a second thickness T2 thatis greater than the first thickness T1. In the second non-display areaNDA2, the first spacers 610 and the second spacers 620 may be spacedapart from one another in the first direction (X1 and X2) and the seconddirection Y and may be arranged substantially in a matrix form.

A second height H2 formed from the rear surface of the upper base 110 bythe second spacers 620 may be greater than a first height H1 formed fromthe rear surface of the upper base 110 by the first spacers 610. Thefirst spacers 610 and the second spacers 620 may be disposed on thefirst color conversion patterns 310.

In some exemplary embodiments, the spacers 600 may further include thirdspacers 630, which are disposed in the display area DA and have a thirdthickness T3, and fourth spacers 640, which are disposed in the displayarea DA and have a fourth thickness T4 that is smaller than the thirdthickness T3. A third height H3 formed from the rear surface of theupper base 110 by the third spacers 630 may be greater than a fourthheight H1 formed from the rear surface of the upper base 110 by thefourth spacers 640. The third spacers 630 may be disposed on the thirdcolor conversion patterns 330, and the fourth spacers 640 may bedisposed on the first color conversion patterns 310.

In some exemplary embodiments, the spacers 600 may further include fifthspacers 650, which are disposed in the dummy area DMA of the secondnon-display area NDA2 and have a fifth thickness T5. A fifth height H5formed from the rear surface of the upper base 110 by the fifth spacers650 may be smaller than the second height H2 formed from the rearsurface of the upper base 110 by the second spacers 620.

The thicknesses, the functions, and the heights of the first spacers610, the second spacers 620, and the fifth spacers 650 that are alldisposed in the second non-display area NDA2 and the thicknesses, thefunctions, and the heights of the third spacers 630 and the fourthspacers 640 that are all disposed in the display area DA are as alreadydescribed above with regard to the first non-display area NDA1, andthus, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

In one exemplary embodiment, the number of second spacers 620 disposedin the first non-display area NDA1 may differ from the number of secondspacers 620 disposed in the second non-display area NDA2. In oneexemplary embodiment, the number of second spacers 620 disposed in thefirst non-display area NDA1 may be smaller than the number of secondspacers 620 disposed in the second non-display area NDA2. As describedabove, the color conversion patterns disposed at the end of the displayarea DA on the first side X1 may be of a different type, and may have adifferent thickness, from the color conversion patterns disposed at theend of the display area DA on the second side X2.

In the LCD device 1, the number of second spacers 620 that are disposedat the end of the first non-display area NDA1 on the first side X1 andcan serve as effective column spacers is different from the number ofsecond spacers 620 that are disposed at the end of the display area DAon the second side X2. Thus, the color conversion pattern layer 300 mayhave an asymmetric structure in the display area DA, and as a result,edge stain defects can be improved.

In a non-limiting example, the second spacers 620 in the firstnon-display area NDA1 are arranged in a row, and the second spacers 620in the second non-display area NDA2 may be arranged in two rows. Forexample, in a cross section of the LCD device 1 or the LCD panel DP, cutalong the first direction (X1 and X2), there may exist one second spacer620 forming an effective height in the first non-display area NDA1 andtwo second spacers 620 forming an effective height in the secondnon-display area NDA2. As described above, in order to form an effectiveheight, the second thickness T2 of the second spacers 620 may be about1.6 μm or greater.

Also, the sum of the numbers of first color conversion patterns 310 andsecond color conversion patterns 320 in the first non-display area NDA1may differ from the sum of the numbers of first color conversionpatterns 310 and second color conversion patterns 320 in the secondnon-display area NDA2. In one exemplary embodiment, the sum of thenumbers of first color conversion patterns 310 and second colorconversion patterns 320 in the first non-display area NDA1 may besmaller than the sum of the numbers of first color conversion patterns310 and second color conversion patterns 320 in the second non-displayarea NDA2.

The LCD device 1 will hereinafter be described in further detail withreference an Example of the present disclosure and a comparativeexample.

EXAMPLE

An LCD panel according to an Example of the present disclosure wasfabricated in accordance with the above-mentioned exemplary embodimentof the present disclosure.

Specifically, a plurality of spacers having different thicknesses in anon-display area were formed. The thickness of spacers formed on redcolor filters with no other color filters adjacent thereto, i.e., firstspacers, was about 1.2 μm, and the thickness of spacers formed on redcolor filters with green color filters adjacent thereto was about 1.6μm. The first spacers and the second spacers were formed by a singleprocess using the same material. Second spacers with a thickness ofabout 1.6 μm were formed in a row in a right-side edge portion (i.e., afirst non-display area) of the LCD panel according to an Example of thepresent disclosure, and second spacers with a thickness of about 1.6 μmwere formed in two rows in a left-side edge portion (i.e., a secondnon-display area) of the LCD panel according to an Example of thepresent disclosure.

Then, a backlight unit was disposed at the rear of the LCD panelaccording to an Example of the present disclosure, and images werecaptured from the edge portions of the LCD panel according to an Exampleof the present disclosure by transmitting light through the LCD panelaccording to an Example. The captured images are as shown in FIG. 16.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE

An LCD panel according to a comparative example was fabricated using thesame method used to fabricate the LCD panel according to an Example ofthe present disclosure except that spacers having a height of 1.6 μm orgreater were not formed. Then, a backlight unit was disposed at the rearof the LCD panel according to a comparative example, and images werecaptured from the edge portions of the LCD panel according to acomparative example by transmitting light through the LCD panelaccording to a comparative example. The captured images are as shown inFIG. 17.

Referring to FIG. 16, neither light leakage nor stains are detected fromthe edge portions of the LCD panel according to an Example of thepresent disclosure.

On the other hand, referring to FIG. 17, dark stains are detected fromthe edge portions of the LCD panel according to a comparative example.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, defects or stains can be improveddepending on the number of spacers (i.e., second spacers) disposed inthe non-display area of an LCD panel to form an effective height.

According to the aforementioned and other exemplary embodiments of thepresent disclosure, an LCD device capable of suppressing the occurrenceof defects such as stains on the edges thereof so as to improve displayquality can be provided.

Although certain exemplary embodiments and implementations have beendescribed herein, other embodiments and modifications will be apparentfrom this description. Accordingly, the inventive concepts are notlimited to such embodiments, but rather to the broader scope of theappended claims and various obvious modifications and equivalentarrangements as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in theart.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display device, comprising: a display area; anon-display area that surrounds the display area and comprising a firstnon-display area disposed on a first side, in a first direction, of thedisplay area and a second non-display area disposed on a second side, inthe first direction, of the display area; a first substrate comprising afirst base and a plurality of spacers disposed on a first surface of thefirst base; a second substrate disposed on the first substrate; andwherein the spacers comprise: first spacers disposed in the non-displayarea and having a first thickness, and second spacers disposed in thenon-display area, having a second thickness that is greater than thefirst thickness, and comprising the same material as the first spacers,and wherein a number of second spacers disposed in the first non-displayarea is different from a number of second spacers disposed in the secondnon-display area.
 2. The display device of claim 1, wherein: the firstsubstrate further comprises a color conversion pattern layer disposedbetween the first base and the spacers, the color conversion patternlayer comprises first color conversion patterns that selectivelytransmit a first color through the first color conversion patterns,second color conversion patterns that selectively transmit a secondcolor, different from the first color, through the second colorconversion patterns, and third color conversion patterns thatselectively transmit a third color having a shorter peak wavelength thanthe first color and the second color through the third color conversionpatterns, and the first color conversion patterns, the second colorconversion patterns, and the third color conversion patterns formrepeating units that are arranged one after another in the firstdirection.
 3. The display device of claim 2, wherein: the first colorconversion patterns and the second color conversion patterns aredisposed in the non-display area, and the third color conversionpatterns are not disposed in the non-display area.
 4. The display deviceof claim 2, wherein; the third color conversion patterns are disposed atan end of the display area on the first side in the first direction, thefirst color conversion patterns are disposed at an end of the displayarea on the second side in the first direction, a maximum thickness ofthe third color conversion patterns is greater than a maximum thicknessof the first color conversion patterns, and a number of second spacersdisposed in the first non-display area is smaller than a number ofsecond spacers disposed in the second non-display area.
 5. The displaydevice of claim 2, wherein: the first color conversion patterns and thesecond color conversion patterns are disposed in both the firstnon-display area and the second non-display area, among the first colorconversion patterns and the second conversion patterns disposed in thefirst non-display area, the first color conversion patterns arepositioned at an end of the first non-display area on the second side inthe first direction, and among the first color conversion patterns andthe second conversion patterns disposed in the second non-display area,the second color conversion patterns are positioned at an end of thesecond non-display area on the first side in the first direction.
 6. Thedisplay device of claim 5, wherein: among the first color conversionpatterns and the second color conversion patterns disposed in the firstnon-display area, the first color conversion patterns are positioned atend of the first non-display area on the first side in the firstdirection, and among the first color conversion patterns and the secondcolor conversion patterns disposed in the second non-display area, thefirst color conversion patterns are positioned at end of the secondnon-display area on the second side in the first direction.
 7. Thedisplay device of claim 2, wherein: the first spacers and the secondspacers both overlap with the first color conversion patterns, and adifference between the first thickness and the second thickness is 0.4μm or greater.
 8. The display device of claim 2, wherein: the firstspacers and the second spacers both overlap with the first colorconversion patterns, and a maximum width of the first spacers is greaterthan a maximum width of the second spacers.
 9. The display device ofclaim 2, wherein the spacers further comprise third spacers disposed inthe display area, having a third thickness that is greater than thesecond thickness, and comprising the same material as the secondspacers.
 10. The display device of claim 9, wherein: the spacers furthercomprise fourth spacers disposed in the display area, having a fourththickness that is smaller than the third thickness, and comprising thesame material as the third spacers, and a difference between the firstthickness and the second thickness is 0.4 μm or greater.
 11. The displaydevice of claim 10, wherein: the first spacers, the second spacers, andthe fourth spacers all overlap with the first color conversion patterns,and the third spacers overlap with the third color conversion patterns.12. The display device of claim 11, wherein: the first substrate furthercomprise a first overcoat layer disposed between the color conversionpattern layer and the spacers, the overcoat layer covers a bottomsurface and a side surface of the first color conversion patternsoverlapping with the first spacers, and the first color conversionpatterns overlapping with the second spacers and the fourth spacers areplaced in contact with the second color conversion patterns.
 13. Thedisplay device of claim 11, wherein: the spacers further comprise fifthspacers disposed in the non-display area, not overlapping with the colorconversion pattern layer, and comprising the same material as the secondspacers, the second spacers form a second height from the first surfaceof the first base, and the fifth spacers form a fifth height that issmaller than the second height from the first surface of the first base.14. The display device of claim 1, wherein: the spacers further comprisethird spacers disposed in the display area and comprising the samematerial as the second spacers, the first spacers form a first heightfrom the first surface of the first base, the second spacers form asecond height that is greater than the first height from the firstsurface of the first base, the third spacers form a third height that isgreater than the second height from the first surface of the first base,and the third spacers are placed in contact with the second substrate.15. The display device of claim 1, wherein: a thickness of the secondspacers is 1.6 p.m or greater, and in a cross section of the LCD device,cut along the first direction, one second spacer is in the firstnon-display area and two second spacers are in the second non-displayarea.
 16. The display device of claim 1, further comprising: a sealingmember bonding the first substrate and the second substrate and disposedin the non-display area, wherein: the first substrate further comprisesa color conversion pattern layer disposed between the first base and thespacers, a first overcoat layer disposed between the color conversionpattern layer and the spacers, and a common electrode disposed betweenthe first overcoat layer and the spacers, the second substrate comprisesa second base, switching elements disposed on a first surface of thesecond base, a second overcoat layer disposed on the switching elements,and pixel electrodes disposed on the second overcoat layer, and thesealing member is placed in contact with the first overcoat layer andthe second overcoat layer.
 17. A display device, comprising: a displayarea; a non-display area surrounding the display area and comprising afirst non-display area disposed on a first side, in a first direction,of the display area and a second non-display area disposed on a secondside, in the first direction, of the display area; a first substratecomprising a first base and a color conversion pattern layer disposed ona first surface of the first base; a second substrate disposed on thefirst substrate; and wherein the color conversion pattern layercomprises: first color conversion patterns disposed in the display areaand the non-display area that selectively transmit a first color throughthe first color conversion patterns, second color conversion patternsdisposed in the display area and the non-display area that selectivelytransmit a second color different from the first color through thesecond color conversion patterns, and third color conversion patternsdisposed only in the display area that selectively transmit a thirdcolor, having a shorter peak wavelength than the first color and thesecond color, through the third color conversion patterns, and wherein asum of numbers of first color conversion patterns and second colorconversion patterns in the first non-display area is different from asum of numbers of first color conversion patterns and second colorconversion patterns in the second non-display area, wherein: the thirdcolor conversion patterns are disposed closer than the first and secondcolor conversion patterns to an end of the display area on the firstside in the first direction, the first color conversion patterns aredisposed closer than the second and third color conversion patterns toan end of the display area on the second side in the first direction.18. The display device of claim 17, wherein: a sum of the numbers offirst color conversion patterns and second color conversion patterns inthe first non-display area is less than the sum of the numbers of firstcolor conversion patterns and second color conversion patterns in thesecond non-display area.
 19. A display device, comprising: a displayarea comprising a plurality of pixels; a dummy area surrounding thedisplay area and comprising a plurality of dummy pixels; a firstsubstrate comprising a first base and a plurality of spacers disposed ona first surface of the first base; a second substrate disposed on thefirst substrate; and wherein a number of spacers having a thickness of1.6 p.m or greater and disposed in part of the dummy area on a firstside, in a first direction, of the display area, is different from anumber of spacers having a thickness of 1.6 p.m or greater and disposedin part of the dummy area on a second side, in the first direction, ofthe display area.
 20. The display device of claim 19, wherein: the firstsubstrate further comprises a first field-generating electrode disposedbetween the first base and the spacers, the second substrate comprises asecond field-generating electrode spaced apart from the firstfield-generating electrode, and a minimum distance between the firstfield-generating electrode and the second field-generating electrode inthe display area is 2.9 μm or greater.